Differential mechanism.



P. M. LEWIS.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.5, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Ww u f6 @l w% JM F. M. LEWIS.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 5. 1913.

1,09 1,580. Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. LEWIS, OF TRACY. ILLILNQS,

DFFERENTIAL MECELNISE.

lspeeinem@ of Letters essere stented Mar. 3ft, .v

Application nea epm s, 191s. sensi se. resem..

To all whom fit may confiere Be it known that i, F M, Lewis, citizen of the United States oi' America, residing at Tracy, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Differential Mechanism, of `which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvei'nents in diierential mechanism, and the objects of my improvement are, iii-st, the provision of radially movable clutch-segments formed for positive ,engagement with S'lrivei'i member; second, to provide a construction whereby relative rotative movement of the clutch-seg ments with a driven member is yieldably op posed; and, third, to afford a plurality of sets of clutch-segments carrying means to limit relative rotative movement of the respective set o i' segments.

llvith the foregoing und other o'ndiects in view, my invention' consists in the novel teil,- tures and in the novel combination and an rangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifica tion, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended, it being tenderstood that changes, variations and modifications in the details of the invention Within the scope of the claims, may he resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, hence I do not confine myself to the exactconstruction andk arrangement of parts shown and described. A

Figure 1 is a horizontal central section of a motor vehicle rear raixlegig 2 is a crosssectional view on line VZQwof Fig. 1 with cams disengaged; Fi 3 is asimilar view withthe cams engaged inaction; Fig. i is a perspective of the driving member; and Fig.`

5 is a sectional detail of the means for limiting relative rotation of the shoes;

Similar numerals refer to* similar parts throughout the several views.

10 denotes a drum or driven member having an inwardlyv extending flange 11, having an inner annular surface provided with corrugutions or alternate grooves and ribs disposed transverse to the piane of rotation. The drum has a hul) 14 with a square opening 15 therethreugh driven member to receive the square 6 $7 end '16 of the .independent shaft 17.

ing en inner cor er alternate grooves 2), and ribs drum has a hub 22 with a square opening 23 therethrou zh to receive the square end 2e of the indepen ent, shaft 25.

Two seis of what isv termed clutch-segments 26 and 26 are provided. The several segments are termed alike and a description of one segment is a description of each se ment. Preferably four radially movable segments are disposed on eaclr side of a driving member hereinafter described, but. the dimensions may he varied and fewerv or more segments may he used, as desired. Each segment has circumferential grooves 27 and ribs Z8 for positive engagement with a driven member, and each segmenthas Working or .s 29 and 3Q.

' roostV l o1 and post-recess 32a11d h compression spring M therein ith round or eem shaped out rece and holt 37 vv .dicatss a driving member with radial studs 3i eoncentric slots 38 and double cams 39 and i0 positioned on the respective 4sides o the driver cams are'adapted to 'operate against the faces 29 and 30 of the segments to move them radially into posit-ive engagement with the respective drums orv driven members. The opening 43 'in the driver i hubs le and 22 of the druins.

ln Fig. the post-recess has' Walls 44 and i5 to limit the extent of travel of the Vfree end of post 31 in recess 32, to'prevent movement of the segment which carries the post Preiser-ably, each ,segf

s to receive theV annule-r surface provided with The faces 41 and 42 of the f far enough to lock one vehicle wheel against l the other. Y

46 and i7 represent the two halves of a rotatable housing bolted .together at 48. The bevel gear Wheel 49 is riveted to the housing at 50 and meshes with the pinion 51, on the engine shaft, (not shown)- Which is journaled in non-rotatable housing 52. I

While the present. embodimentis applied to the rear axle or to a jack-shaft of a motor vehicle` my invent-ion is capable of application lo eheh dri g vehicle wheel.

ion when power is applied t0 ,e no the driving member be moved in the direction of rota- The cams 39 and 40 will operate against the faces and 30 to move radiall)Y the segments and 26 into positive 3 wili tion.

engagement with the respective driven memwheel will member and positionshown in Fi suiiciently ahead lInfturning a corner the outside vehicle rotate faster than Athe driving the segnent will at once move to neutral 2 and the outside 'vehicle wheel will bevr ee to rotate until the speeds of the driving hiele 'wheel are alike when rengagement will take place and both vehicle wheels will be positively driven.

'Ivhe-inside wheel when describing a curve, as above stated, will remain in power trans- 'm-ission engagement, hence the post 3l will contacter interfereiwith wall 44 or145 of rthe post-re'cess'32, depending upon'the direction of rotation of the vehicle, backward or forward, andY thus limit the relative rotative, movement of the sets of segments ahdprevent the segments set. free by the outside vehicle wheel running from moving to lock one wheel against the other. The means to oppose relative rotative movement of each segment with itsdriven member acts as a drag or brake and tends to stop the movement of the segment at a point to register for positive en gagement of the ribs and grooves of the two. The force of the compression springs 34'urges the segmentout of positive engage ment when the cam on the driving member will permit.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is,-

l. In differential mechanism, in Combination, a shaft, a driven member having a corrugated annular surface fixed to the shaft, a plurality of clutch-segments having circumferential ribs and grooves transverse to the plane of rotation and cam faces and means operable against the cam faces of the clutch-segments to move them radially into positive engagement with the driven member. v

2. In differential mechanism, in combina l tion, independent shafts, a driven member with' a corrugated annular surface fixed to each shaft, a plurality of sets of clutchthe cams and working faces onv member and this ve- Segments having circumferential ribs and grooves transverse to the plane of rotation, and means carried by the respective sets of clutchsegments to limit relative rotative movement thereof.

3. In differential mechanism, in combination, independent shafts, a driven member with a corrugated annular surface fixed thereto, a driving member carrying on both sides a plurality of double-cams, a plurality of Sets of clutch-segments, and means carried by the segments to limit relative rotative movement thereof.

4. In differential mechanism, in combina` tion, independent shafts, a driven member having a corrugated annular surface fixed to the opposing ends of each of the two shafts, a driving member carrying on both sides a plurality of double cams, a plurality of sets of clutch segments each having circumferential ribs and grooves transverse tn the plane o'f rotation and cam faces, means t0 limit relative rotative movement of the sets of segments, and means carried by each segment to oppose relative rotative movement of each segment with the driven meniber.

5. In differential mechanism, in combination, independent shafts, a driven member having a corrugated annular surface fixed to the opposing ends of each of the two shafts, a plurality of sets of clutch segments each having circumferential ribs and grooves transverse to the plane of rotation and cam faces, a driving member carrying on both sides a plurality of deubie cams to move the clutch-segments radially into positive engagement with the respective driven members, means to limit relative rotative movement of the of dutch-segments, a rotatable housing and means to rotate the rotatable housing.

In testimony whereof I ath); my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK M. LEIIS.

VVit-nesses:

Sco'rr M. HOGAN, B. F. S'roUT. 

